Tourney to feature bass fly-fishing

Tourney to feature bass fly-fishing

An unusual bass tournament will be held today and Friday on Nickajack Lake to help out a worthy cause and to showcase a different way to catch largemouth bass.

Outdoor Chattanooga and Choo-Choo Fly and Tackle are working together to host the first-annual Chattanooga Bass Bug Classic. The event is billed as the first fly-fishing only bass tournament ever to be held in the Southeast.

"For years, bass fishing has been though of only in terms of conventional tackle," said Ben Austin of Choo-Choo Fly and Tackle. "We're trying to raise awareness of the opportunities to use fly-fishing to catch bass."

Twenty amateur and professional angler will launch from the TVA Raccoon Mountain boat ramp off of U.S. Highway 41, and weigh in will be at 2:30 p.m. today and Friday. All tournament events are open to the public.

Proceeds from the tournament used to benefit the Chambliss Children's Home and Shelter's fishing programs. Chambliss works to assist abused and neglected children in the Chattanooga area.